In video management and processing systems, a video clip can be stored along with a database containing time-based metadata (e.g., data associated with instants of time relative to the start of a video clip). Time-based metadata can be specified in relative terms, and is generally by a frame number relative to the start of the video clip. In some systems, a time code value can be used which can specify hours, minutes, seconds and a frame number relative to the last second.
These data can be referred to as the “metadata” of the media; that is, if the video clip is considered the primary data, the “metadata” can be a data set that relates to the video clip directly but may not be a part of the primary data. An example of such metadata is a data triple comprised of the values: 100, 11:45 and “two-pointer,” where the triple indicates, respectively: the frame number relative to the start of the video clip, game time for the current game period (e.g. in a basketball game) and the latter describes what is being portrayed in the video clip. The metadata can be any information from text to images to audio and/or video data.
The database of time-based metadata can be used to quickly recall the video clip and to find specific elements the user is interested in within a video clip. Additionally, interactive television applications can rely on time-based metadata to provide timely, relevant content to users who are watching the video media either on a primary display, or a secondary display such as a tablet, laptop or smartphone.
Many sources of data exist that can be used to create time-based metadata. For example, a scorecard for a sporting event where each event in the game is associated with the time remaining in that segment of the game, or a data stream, including a social media (e.g., Twitter® or Facebook®) data stream, wherein users post about players or actions and those posts contain temporal information about the players or actions (e.g., a server-generated time stamp on the post and/or descriptive text about the time in the game written by the author of the post). Similarly, third-party data providers exist that supply suitable data feeds for certain events, for example sporting events, as a service that can be leveraged to create time-based metadata.
Acquisition of metadata, which can be referred to as “logging,” can generally be achieved by having users manually associate data with a particular time index in a stream of a video clip. For example, a user can watch a video clip on a display device and input tags with time-based metadata into a database via a computer keyboard and mouse controls, or other type of electronic device. The metadata may be typed as text or the user may depress or click a button containing a tag to perform the metadata association.
In, e.g., sports broadcasting, the timely association of metadata to video is important to the development of consumer products and the industry as a whole. Video metadata enables the rapid search and retrieval of video clips used during live sports broadcasts, scripted commentary shows and on social media. The two primary concerns of content owners are (i) the quality of the metadata and (ii) minimizing the total production time of the clips.
For example, in order to promote a live game on television, a broadcaster may publish clips of the game on social media. The clips must be published with enough time to allow the viewer to watch the game on television. Additionally, for discussion during breaks of the game, on-air radio or television commentators or fans may wish to review clips that may have occurred seconds before, and retrieve previous occurrences of similar clips to add value to the discussion.
Currently, video metadata is acquired using human input which inhibits the ability of content owners or publishers to process all of the required data and accurately acquire video metadata in a timely fashion.